James Cliffe's Ghost
About 'James Cliffe's Ghost' James came to The Mansion 3 weeks back. He was on the verge of death having attempted several times to commit suicide. Slashing his wrists, hanging himself, starvation, overdosing, jumping from his bedroom window, drowning - he survived it all. Nothing worked for James, he stopped trying after being forced to visit a special Mansion Therapist about the problems he was having and why he wanted to kill himself. He came to The Mansion to 'find himself', but what he found was his worst nightmare. Therapist William Darcy's patient James arrived on Monday. His first patient of the week. James had bloodied bandages wrapped around his forearms, bruises around his neck and he walked with crutches from a recent jump from his bedroom window. James was 23 and suffered from a strong case of insomnia and depression. He told William that he was never alone, a Ghost was tormenting him and was pushing him to kill himself. William had discovered that James had problems as a child, one being the death of his Mother when he was just 6 years of age. The other being his Father, who was sentenced to life in Jail for rape of a minor and was killed 'inside' because of his crime, this when he started High school in which everybody knew about. James was bound to get grief for this and so he did. He left School way before he was meant to and resorted to a life of heavy drugs, heroin: he didn't enjoy, so he tried, loved and stuck to meth, cocaine and strong alcohol abuse. He mixed with a rough group of people that he still calls his friends. Therapist William knew that his claims of being tormented by a 'ghost' was a cause of the drugs and the upbringing he suffered. Starting from the Monday, he gave James 5 of his sessions specifically for him up until the Friday - legally, this wasn't allowed but William saw something in James. It was his honesty and way of normality that stood out amongst the other patients he usually had. On the Monday, James sat down opposite William. To start off, William asked what the ghost wanted and who the ghost was. The first step being to get on James' level and to understand what was happening (not to disagree or tell him different). James said he didn't know. He said he wasn't sure what the gender was either, but he knows for certain that 'something' is always there. Just behind him, or in the room wherever he is, watching him eat, sleeping with him and practically everywhere he went. "Fair enough, it could be the drugs. I get that you think I'm crazy and I don't help myself, no. But, you have to just listen to me - I know there is a ghost connected to me. It's angry. It doesn't want me to live and this is why I do what I do...Attempts of suicide - I'm not even aware that I'm doing that but I'm talking about the drugs, the drink, the ghost stays away when I'm fucked up on drugs or drunk out of my mind. That's why I do it." Explained James. William jotted down a few things that Therapist's have to note down. From eye-view, what the patient looked like and how they acted and IF there is an obvious sign of illness or drug addiction showing: James looks deprived of sleep, he admits this and spends his nights consuming drugs or drinking lots of alcohol. Considering this, James seems emotionally intact and intelligent. James works a weekend job at a Car Wash. Has a poor diet. -Bagged eyes -Damaged teeth from drug abuse -Pale and aged skin -Hair loss -Self-harmed scars on arms, thighs and stomach? (must question) -Itchy and nervous behavior -Strongly believes in his claims of living in torment -No family, no real friends -No love life -Lack of education -No stereotypical behavior of teenage years showing Monday was almost wrapped up. William kept the first session clean and above the belt even after finding out some deep information about the death of both parents and such. Just before the session was over, William kindly asked if he would knock the drugs off even if it's just for this week. James freaked out and refused completely. Tuesday: Stage 2 was discovering anything new from the previous night. James sat down in the chair, fidgeting with his hands and constantly arranging his shirt that kept poking out from the bottom of his jacket. He resorted to tucking it into his jeans, which throughout this Session was an ongoing problem. William told James in his first Session that he must try to sleep, even if it was a nap and even if he was still taking the drugs. James had perked up when William mentioned that, since the drugs do help with sleep and that they are quite an advantage with the Therapy Sessions. "I didn't sleep. I tried to but it's the feeling of being watched. Fine, I'm paranoid to death but I did try." William asked what it feels like and if James believes its the drugs that give him this feeling of being watched. "No. Before I was using, it was worse. I mean, when I was sober I had nightmares of it. I'd wake up and know exactly where the Ghost was. It would hang heavily over me and before I was fully awake - it sorta just knew I was waking up? It would have the 'last laugh' and do something in my bedroom like smash a glass or make a loud bang, waking me up in shock with a racing heart. I swear it borderline gave me heart attacks most nights. Slamming my door and stuff. No. The drugs? They keep me awake and all I need to do is make it to morning." William wrote down more notes. James at this point has tucked his shirt in several times, looked over his shoulder a lot and was constantly looking over MY shoulder. His eyes would drift over my head and he isn't making much eye contact with me. William started, "Okay...I have to ask about the self harming, James. Do you mind?" He didn't mind. "Why the stomach? The wrists, thighs, they seem like the normal place to self harm...Do you follow me?" James untucked his shirt and lifted it up revealing his stomach. Pointing at the wounds, he said, "I have no idea what did them." Wednesday. "How was your night, James? Manage to get any sleep at all?" James didn't sleep again. Not at home, anyway. Instead, he slept at a friends house. A 'drug sleep' he called it. After a meth binge that also included marijuana and alcohol. "I was passed out, not asleep. Probably for around 2 hours. I don't remember sleeping when I pass out and it's the only way to sleep nowadays," said James who seemingly looked rougher than he did on Monday and Tuesday. William pushed on, asking James about what he thinks the state of his health is at. He also asked why he keeps on looking around the room and not directly at William. He now wishes he didn't ask - but nevertheless he still didn't believe James. "My health? Clearly it's in the drain. I don't even brush my teeth anymore and haven't done for years. I do drink water, that's only when I'm not drinking booze though. And I suppose my diet isn't the best - I eat ordered stuff, pizza, Chinese, kebabs or chippy. Otherwise, nothing." He stated he doesn't need food if he wasn't high on drugs - definitely has a big drug problem. William noted down a medicated pill that people must take in the morning that makes them hungry throughout the day. James continued. ''You ask why I look around the room. Isn't it obvious?" James sighed as if William knew already. ''Well, no? Why, is it the drugs? The paranoia?" asked William. James sighed again, "It's the Ghost. I told you. It's always here with me. Doc - if I didn't smoke a bunch of meth before I came, I'd of attempted suicide already. I just put up with it otherwise. I have no choice." William asked what the ghost looked like, James couldn't explain it. He said it was a strange shape, it had a face but wasn't clear enough to suggest details. All he knew was that nobody else could see it. Thursday William wrote down in his notebook: James didn't turn up for the Thursday Session today. Must follow up tomorrow. He attempted to contact James several times on his mobile phone but it rang out to voicemail each time. In the afternoon, William received a call back. It was the local Hospital. "Is this Therapist William Darcy? We have a patient of yours, a James Cliffe. There seems to be some complications at the moment involving James. We'd like to see you if you can make it down?" William, legally can't leave the office on a work day. If a patient pulls out there is a high demand on rescheduling. William turned down the offer stating that he is "only his Therapist - not his guardian." Friday James was 3 hours late to the Session. William apologized for yesterday explaining that he couldn't leave the office and asking what had happened. James looked completely ruined. More tired than ever. He wasn't fidgeting this time and he left his shirt untucked. He looked and stank like shit, smelling of dry alcohol and cigarettes. "I don't know what happened." James said solomly. He sat up slowly in the chair and lifted his shirt up. A bandage. He peeled the sticky plaster off and pulled the bandage back, displaying a deep gash. It looked like claw marks. He placed the bandage back and sulked back into the chair. "I was at home. Starving after those pills you gave me, thanks... I was fucked on meth and couldn't be bothered to cook anything though. I ordered a pizza and, well I guess it arrived and the pizza guy called the hospital. I remember ringing for the pizza - then waking up in a hospital bed." William jotted this down. He asked, "Is this all you remember? Dreams are important too James. You were passed out for hours. Did you dream?" James was paused looking over William's shoulder again. William looked himself, saw nothing. James rubbed his face and eyes as if in deep thought - but he knew something. "This time, I had control," said James admittedly. "But it was a dream and whatever happens, happens. I saw the Ghost's face. It was my Mother." William said, "Ah. I knew it...James, it's normal. This is normal - and it's very good news to hear this. Any kid that has lost their Mother may see a-" James butted in, slamming his hand down on the table which made William flinch. "...you didn't let me finish. My Mother. It was also my Father. It was you. It was my Grandma. It was other people. Dead people I guess. This Ghost had many faces, but kept the same body. It spoke to me as my Mother is what I'm trying to say. She was saying she misses me, but then proceeded to slash at me with her hand. The face changed at this point and, in the dream I was bleeding profusely just looking at this Ghost with so many faces. I don't know...It's getting bad. I feel really depressed. It's been years since I saw Mum and she fucking cuts me...Y'know?" William jotted everything down. He asked James what the Doctor's said about the wound on his stomach. James said they couldn't explain it. It was 2 separate gashes and not in any direction of say a knife or blade of sorts, nor was a gash performed by an animal with claws. William pondered this and had no answers for James. "Considering our time is up and we missed out on a Session yesterday, I'd like to try something I have never done in my Therapeutic work before. You can say no and by all means do as it isn't entirely legal. - I'd like to record a night of you sleeping in The Bed's of Never ending Sleep, situated in Room #17: The Corridor of Silence. You won't have any problems sleeping, furthermore you won't have any knowledge of sleeping either. What do you think?" James accepted saying, "Sounds perfect." *This photo was captured of James, seen sleeping peacefully. Above him is the Ghost James claims is tormenting him. He hasn't woken up in 2 weeks. A day later, he was pronounced dead.